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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · tear · spell · lie · clip · staff · suit · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tear — from crying
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — a short time
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tear — from crying
  13. suit — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. spell — magic
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spell — letters
  18. clip — to cut
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tear — to rip
  21. vault — a safe
  22. suit — clothes
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — a video

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com